Plant-Based for the Madison-Based: University of Wisconsin-Madison Student Perceptions of the Plant-Based Diet and Options in and Around Campus
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Plant-Based for the Madison-Based: University of Wisconsin-Madison Student Perceptions of the Plant-Based Diet and Options in and Around Campus Erin Hepp, Matthew Laska, and Sydney Lawson Geog 565: Undergraduate Geography Colloquium University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Geography Fall 2019 1 ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the perceptions and knowledge of plant-based diets among university students. We focused on showcasing local options, the benefits and barriers of the diet, and trends in the demographics of our survey data. We implemented a survey to gather primary data to gauge students' perceptions and knowledge. This sample included 193 students. Through a variety of questions, students offered their insight into how they individually understand the plant-based diet and its consumers. This resulted in a fairly positive perception of the plant-based diet from University of Wisconsin-Madison students, despite many factors deterring them from adopting it. Survey data revealed that most students do not have a complete understanding of the plant-based diet but desire to learn more. 2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Literature Review 1. Defining a Plant-based Diet 2. Demographics of Plant-Based Diet Consumers 3. Perceptions of the Diet (by Plant-based and Non-Plant-based Consumers) 4. Plant-Based Restaurants in Madison 5. Perceptions of the Benefits 6. Perceptions of the Barriers 7. Summary 3. Methods 4. Results 1. Demographics 2. Student Perceptions 3. “Why did you choose to adopt a plant-based diet?” 4. “What barrier(s) are deterring you from trying a plant-based diet?” 5. “Why did you choose to stop eating plant-based?” 6. Interactive Map 5. Discussion 1. Demographics 2. Student Perceptions 3. “Why did you choose to adopt a plant-based diet?” 4. “What barrier(s) are deterring you from trying a plant-based diet?” 5. “Why did you choose to stop eating plant-based?” 6. Interactive Map 7. Unexpected Findings 8. Alternative Explanations 9. Suggestions for Future Research 10. Limitations and Areas for Improvement 6. Conclusion 7. Acknowledgments 8. Bibliography 9. Appendix 3 1. Introduction For our semester long research project, we decided to research how a population relevant and familiar to us, University of Wisconsin-Madison students, interpret plant-based and what might need to be changed in our community to improve it for the better. Throughout this report, the term ‘plant-based diet’ means not containing any animal products or by-products. The perceptions surrounding the plant-based diet continue to be unfavorable, with multiple studies even showing that vegetarians are seen in a more positive light than plant-based consumers (Corrin, et al., 2017, 42). Despite this, there are several benefits of adopting a plant-based diet, including that it leads to better health, it is more sustainable, and it is easier to adopt now than ever before (Kerschke-Risch, 2015, 101-103; Dinu et. al., 2016, 3641; Clonan et. al., 2016, 367- 368). We think it is important to highlight the accessibility of plant-based options locally, in addition to the positive benefits of this diet. Our project will focus on the current landscape of the plant-based diet based around the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) campus. We will tackle our project from three fronts. First, we will look to identify university students’ perceptions and knowledge of the plant-based diet, along with the availability of options in Madison. Second, we look to see why people choose to adopt a plant-based diet and what the perceived barriers are for those who have not. Third, we will examine the current composition of plant-based eating in regards to demographic factors among university students. In answering these questions, the goal is to gain a better understanding of the perceptions and knowledge of plant-based diets among university students in order to bring awareness to local plant-based options and inform the general public of the benefits. 4 We will apply two data collection methods to our research project. These methods include a survey and exploring the local food scene. Through this exploration on campus and the surrounding area, we hope to better understand what is available in the community and apply that knowledge to an interactive map for plant-based consumers. Through our surveying of students, we hope to understand the demographic landscape of diets in Madison, ascertaining how favored the plant-based diet is compared to other dietary choices, as well as possible reasons for or against choosing this diet. Some key terms that will be addressed in our research include but are not limited to: plant-based, demographics, perceptions, barriers, benefits, vegan, and vegetarian. 2. Literature Review Our research statements are focused on identifying the University of Wisconsin- Madison’s students’ various perceptions and attitudes towards a plant-based diet. In order to explore the perceptions and views, we first need to define what a plant-based diet is. Then, through a literature review on the perceptions of plant-based diets, perceived benefits and barriers of transitioning to the diet, and demographic characteristics of those who are plant- based, we set the stage for our survey and for the comparison to the results of our data analysis. The location of our research is the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus itself, as well as hotspots just outside where plant-based options are abundant (Figure 1). These areas include Atwood Avenue, Williamson Street, Regent Street, State Street and the Capital Square, and Monroe Street. Through our research of where plant-based options are most available in Madison, these streets have presented themselves as most friendly to the diet and where most of the restaurants we have identified for our interactive map are located. 5 Figure 1. Site Setting Map 2.1 Defining a Plant-based Diet Currently there are several variations of a plant-based diet that are well-known and have taken ahold in mainstream society. A popular “plant-based” diet is vegetarianism, more specifically lacto-ovo vegetarianism, which is the “practice of abstaining from eating meat” (Ruby, 2012, 141). This means that those who abide by this diet are free to consume dairy products such as milk, cheese, and cream, as well as other animal by-products like honey and eggs. The lacto-ovo is important because it specifies that they eat dairy and eggs. There are other variations such as lacto-vegetarians who abstain from eggs but consume dairy products, and ovo- vegetarians who eat eggs but do not consume dairy (Deckard, 2016). Pescetarians, on the other hand, are similar to lacto-ovo vegetarians in that they also do not eat red meat or poultry, but they do include seafood in their diet (Tilman and Clark, 2014, 520). The reason why plant-based is in quotes at the beginning is because it can mean a lot of different things to many different people. For example, in a study researching the social lives of vegetarians and vegans, a participant self-identified as “plant-based,” but her definition of it varies from the definition we 6 will be using for the entirety of this report. To this participant, being plant-based meant “being close to vegetarian but not fully abstaining from meat” (Lindquist, 2013, 9). This is starkly different from the definition that will now be referred to from now on which is abstaining from all animal products and by-products. This diet is commonly referred to as “vegan”, but we chose to use “plant-based” instead because we are not looking into the ethical aspects of animal rights that often accompanies the term “vegan”. Throughout this report, the term “plant-based” will mean no meat, fish, eggs, dairy, or other animal by-products such as honey. Now that it is clear what a plant-based diet is, it will be important to know who is more likely to participate in this diet. 2.2 Demographics of Plant-Based Diet Consumers Based on various sociodemographic factors, consumers can have different knowledge of the environment around them and are introduced to different views of the world. Experiences can impact the different beliefs and arguments that members of various groups may hold. These can affect choices and decisions they make; this is certainly true for dietary choices, which can be influenced by many aspects of life. This raises the question if there are certain segments of the population that tend to consume a plant-based diet more often than others. While the research on this topic is somewhat limited, there appears to be some socio-demographic trends that are emerging into who consumes a plant-based diet. To situate ourselves, it may be beneficial to first look at the overall percent of the population that consumes a plant-based diet. According to the Food Demand Survey run in the United States, approximately 4.2% of respondents answered that they were either vegetarian or vegan (Lusk, 2014). A similar number appeared in the more recent Harris Poll commissioned by 7 the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG), with 4% of American adults indicating they are vegetarian, half of them being vegan (Stahler, 2019). These numbers, with some minor fluctuations, appear to be consistent over the last decade based on other VRG polls. The most prominent demographic trend that showed up was that of gender. There appears to be a consensus that females are more likely to follow plant-based diets than men (Graça, et al., 2015, 81). Men seem to be more likely to view various barriers to converting. Meat has often been depicted as a status symbol, one associated with masculine power (Pohjolainen, et al., 2019, 1151; Lea, et al., 2006a, 835).